Camps

Chiefs Club

Baseball

April 16, 2016

Bowden Extends Hit Streak to 20 Games During Doubleheader Split at C-N

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. -- Catawba and Carson-Newman split a South Atlantic Conference baseball doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at the Silver Diamond Baseball Complex. The Catawba Indians took the opener 7-5, while the Eagles claimed a 4-3 win in game two. The Catawba Indians now stand at 27-16 overall and 15-6 in the SAC. Carson-Newman is 26-18 and 11-9.

Catawba got a pair of three-run homers to aid its cause in the opener. The Indians took the lead in the third on a two-out infield hit by Luke Setzer (Salisbury, N.C./E. Rowan) that plated Jeremy Simpson (Cleveland, N.C./W. Rowan).

With first base open after Setzer had moved to second on a throwing error, the Eagles decided to walk Will Albertson (Sophia, N.C./Randleman/Campbell) intentionally. Chance Bowden (Salisbury, N.C./Salisbury) delivered a three-run homer and the Indians led 4-0.

Russ Weiker (Albemarle, N.C./S. Stanly/Liberty) tossed five scoreless innings, but the Eagles broke through in the sixth. With two outs, Austin Kearney connected on a three-run homer to bring the hosts within a run. Catawba answered right back as Setzer drove a pitch out to right for a three-run homer to put the Indians up 7-3 in the seventh.

Weiker (8-2) would exit after getting the first out of the seventh. Avery Bowles (Thomasville, N.C./E. Davidson) allowed a home run to Brandon Roberts in the eighth and a pair of leadoff singles to start the ninth. Bryan Blanton (Albemarle, N.C./Albemarle) came on to get a pair of fly outs and a pop up to grab his sixth save.

In game two, Catawba jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the third. Dylan Richardson (Randleman, N.C./Randleman/Appalachian St.) doubled home two and Bowden singled home a third run. That would be the only two hits for Catawba against Carson-Newman's ace Vince Apicella, who pitched the final game of the series for the Eagles.

Connor Johnson (Rockwell, N.C./E. Rowan) dominated for five innings, allowing just one hit, but the Eagles chased him in the sixth after Cade Snapp's two-run homer cut the margin to a single a run. Carson-Newman tied it when Kearney greeted reliever D.J. Laxton (Asheboro, N.C./E. Randolph) with a solo homer.

In the seventh, Gooch Greer led off with a single and Ryan Addington reached on a sacrifice attempt as a throw from Heath Mitchem (Salisbury, N.C./Carson) was knocked out of Bowden's glove. Blanton came on and after a sacrifice, issued an intentional walk to Roberts. He would get a pop up for the second out, but a wild pitch would get pinch-runner Trever Lee home for the winning run.

Apicella improved to 8-2 as he surrendered just the two hits with three walks and seven strikeouts. Bowden's single extended his hitting streak to 20 games which ties the seventh longest streak in school history.